Cleaning chores such as sweeping, mopping and decluttering may offer mental health benefits by promoting mindfulness, reducing stress and creating a sense of achievement, according to psychologists and Zen practitioners.
During spring cleaning season, many people see household chores as exhausting or stressful. However, experts say repetitive physical activities can help regulate emotions and calm the mind.
A popular Zen saying states, “Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.” Zen apprentices, known as “unsui” monks, spend much of their daily routine cleaning and organizing spaces.
“We sweep dust to remove worldly desires. We scrub dirt to free ourselves of attachments," wrote Shoukei Matsumoto, a Buddhist monk from Kyoto, Japan, in his book A Monk’s Guide to a Clean House and Mind. “The time we spend carefully cleaning out every nook and cranny of the temple grounds is extremely fulfilling.”
Clinical psychologist Holly Schiff said repetitive chores can soothe the nervous system because they are predictable and structured.
“Repetitive, physical activities like cleaning can be regulating for the nervous system because they're predictable, structured, and give a clear sense of completion,” she said.
Schiff added that seeing immediate results from cleaning can provide satisfaction that many emotional or mental tasks do not.
Experts advise people who dislike cleaning to focus less on finishing tasks quickly and more on the process itself. Paying attention to sensory details such as movement, rhythm or water temperature can make cleaning feel more meditative.
“If you slow it down and focus on the sensory aspects of it, it can start to function more like a mindfulness exercise," Schiff said.
Matsumoto described cleaning as a form of “Habitat Care,” explaining that it strengthens the relationship between people and their surroundings.
“In our practice, we don't see cleaning as a chore to control the environment. Instead, we view it as ‘Habitat Care,'” he said.
He also encouraged people not to seek perfection in cleaning.
“Peace is found not in the final ‘tidy state,'" he said, "but in the humble, ongoing act of emptying the space and our minds.”
According to Schiff, feelings of overwhelm often come from thinking about the entire task at once rather than starting with one small action.
“Just choose one surface, one task, or one room for starters,” she suggested.
Matsumoto said a clean environment can create a feeling of calm even after the person who cleaned it has left.
“In a clean space, even if the person who cleaned it is not there, we can feel their consideration and awareness,” he said. “This awareness creates a sense of peace and safety, similar to why sacred spaces like temples feel different from the busy streets.”
Source: NDTV